Actress Nikki Amuka-Bird Made Her Cannes Debut in Nina Ricci

Everything's bigger at the Cannes Film Festival: the stars, the red carpets, the standing ovations, the gowns. So when actress Nikki Amuka-Bird called up stylist Holly White ahead of her inaugural turn in the French Riviera for her film Rumours, the pair knew they had to pull out all the stops. And where better to turn than Harris Reed's Nina Ricci? The house has made statement silhouettes its calling card, and the gown White and Amuka-Bird selected balances a sleek sheer lace column with exaggerated bows down the sleeves.

It was the ideal choice for an utterly glamorous night, which started in the hotel suite with makeup artist Kenneth Soh and hairstylist Lorraine Dublin and continued on the red carpet alongside Rumours co-stars Cate Blanchett and Alicia Vikander. "As soon as I tried the gown on, I knew I wanted to wear it for the premiere. It was powerful and sexy but also chic and elegant," says Amuka-Bird. The cornrows—by her stylist Becky at Mimi et Mina salon in London—steel-blue eyeshadow, and eclectic DeBeers diamonds made it her own.

Ahead, the actress reflects on her first time on the Cannes red carpet and her on-set experience with Blanchett, and White shares her thought process behind the look.